Stabilized compartment for ships



'MHAKEV A TORNEYS 4 Sheets-Shae}. 1

INVENTORS M CoRM/c/r Mum/v M CORMICK MEHAN ETAL STABILIZED COMPARTMENT FOR SHIPS Filed Oct 21 1938 July 2, 1940.

J y 1940- MCCORMICK MEHAN ET AL 2,206,100

STABILIZED COMPARTMENT FOR SHIPS Filed Oct. 21, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 97' 9 INVENTORS 6 97 MCCORMICK MEHAN 9 BY domv HEKEV ATTOR EYs y 1940- M CORMICK MEHAN El AL ,10

STABILIZED COMPARTMENT FOR SHIPS Filed Oct. 21, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS M Cop/w c/r MEfl/NV Y (/OH/V MfiRKEY y 2% ATT RNEYS Patented July 2, 1940 McCormick Mehan' and John I. Markey, Seattle, 7

Wash.

Application October 21, 1938, Serial'No. 236,361 7 Claims. (01, 110-191) Our present invention relates to means 'for providing a stabilized room aboard a sea'going ship. For persons who of necessity must make sea voyages, seasickness-is-a very serious as well as distressing malady; and it is-the purpose of our present invention to provide means whereby the upsetting eifect on passengers,:of a ships rolling about its longitudinal axis .or plunging about its transverse axis, willbe entirelyeliminated, for minor displacement, and will be so minimized in the more extreme .displacement that seasickness'can be eliminated.

We accomplish this principal object by providing, preferably, at'or near the transverse and longitudinal axes of a-boat, a room whichmight be likened to an elevator cage,'that will'be capable of vertical displacement and at 'the same time be so mounted and supported that it will within reasonable limits. at all times be maintained with its floor in a horizontal plane. There are a number ofways in whichthis result can be accomplished and -in the ,present application in order to keep to a minimum. therdrawings'and description, we haveshown in-detail'only one physical embodiment of thisplan.- I'he mechan-' ical and the-electrical means employedintheaccompanying drawings, however, can'be-used with various types of equipment and there must be a reasonable elasticity in the design of'suchequipmentso thatitrmay beadaptedtoyaryin'g conditions as encountered in service. 1 Thephysical limitations of aboat-may'be such that our cage cannot-begiven full and-sufficient travel so as to, in efiect, holdthe cage on-agiven horizontal plane. However, for normal disturbances this can be effected and for disturbances having an amplitude greater than the physical means will permit, our car is handled, in a manner to compensate as fully as possible for the 40 maximum amplitude. In other words theboat will, in effect, move away from the cage then the cage will start to move in the directionof movement of the boat and then graduallycome to a rest with'respect to the original horizontal plane and experiments which are easily conducted with ordinary passenger elevators in buildings willprove that the average individual will not beable todetect any movement of the cage and as long as this is accomplished there will be none of the sensation created in the individual that leads to seasickness.

Other and more specific objects willbe appar entrfrom the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings-where in v Figure "lfls a, perspective view showing the essential elements of our device, namely, the movable room, or cage, and the movable g'uideways in which it is confined and operated.

Figure 2 isa View showing, partly'in section and partly diagrammatically, the electrical means for effecting controlof our 'movable cage and guideways so that the motion of the ship maybe adequately counter-acted. 5 I

.Figures 3 and 3 illustrate thezpo'sition of the metacenter about which themajority ofships are designed toroll or pitch".

.Figure 4 is a bracketed, diagrammatic view showing the position of :our'movable guideways and the position of the movable room within those guideways under various stages of rolling caused by a beam sea. 7

Figure 5 isa similar bracketed view showing a fragmentary section of ;a ship and showing the position ofour-guideways and-iroom to coun- =21!) teract the pitching or movement of a boat as it passes through a head or sternsea.

Figure 6 is an elevation showing generally the essential elements-required to provide the'movement demanded of our equipment.

Figure 7;is afragmentary view showingthe lower ,portions-of our guideways as theyaredisplaced by the pitching of a boat.

Figure 8is a similar view, but taken as -a crosssectional view through-aship showing the displacement of our guideways due -to the"rolling actionof the ship.

.Figure'Q is a view, partly-in section-andpartly diagrammatic, illustrating the switching means and-the fluid pistons which control'our guideway arrangement.

In general the operation of our device, as We have illustrated the same-consists normally of having vertically disposed guideways i0 mounted in a gimbal ,joint I2 ata point somewhatabove I40 its lower endas shown-in Figures land 6. This jet ' permits substantially a universal movement for the guideways which are positionedyby, preferably, a plurality of fluid operated pistons in cylinders I4. I

We then use the electric switching arrangements shown in Figure 9 to control, through solenoids It or similar electrical means, the-opera ation of valves l8 which in the present showing control the discharge of-oil irom the various .0 pistons. The oil supply is normally in a tank 2|! from which oil is pumped, as by .pumps 22, 23, '24, and/5, and 'to which it is returned after passing through valves 18. The pumps are operated and controlled #by means illustrated, as 'one ex 55,

ample, in Figure 9. Here electric switches as 21, 28, 29, and 30, of the mercury tube are controlled by the rolling or pitching of the boat so as to complete an electric circuit which in turn energizes motors 32 directly connected to the pumps; thus pressure can be built up in any cylinder, as each cylinder has its own motor and pump. The discharge is controlled by the same electric circuit and consists of solenoid operated slide cams 34, 35, 36, and 31 which open the discharge valves from the cylinders. In this way rocking of the boat will energize the cylinders required to maintain the guideways in their :ubstantially vertical position.

The vertical position of the cage or room with respect to its guideways in controlled by the means shown in Figure 2, in which a spring supported weight 39 is employed in conjunction with photoelectric cells and 42 to energize relays which in turn are so connected as to operate a reversing electric motor 44 in a manner to raise or lower the cage 45 as the portion of the boat containing our device rises or lowers due to either a beam sea, a head sea, or a stern sea. Suitable means are also provided to limit the amount of travel and to reverse the operation automatically.

Detailed operation The operation of our device may be divided into two distinct actions; one is the vertical control of the cage or car and, secondly, its horizontal control. The vertical positioning of the cage is controlled by means probably best illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. Cage 46 is mounted in any conventional manner in guideway I0 so that it will be capable of free guided movement within guideways l0, and willbe positioned vertically with respect to the guideways by cable 48 which is arranged for suitable spooling on a drum, controlled by the reversing motor 44 through some appropriate, self-locking reduction gear mechanism as illustrated at 50. p

The control of motor 44 may be accomplished by means illustrated in Figure 2. This consists essentially of a framework 52 which serves as a housing and mount for all the equipment involved excepting the stop members 54 and 55 and motor 44. This mechanism employs a weight 39 of considerable mass which is yieldably supported by spring 51. Intermediate between spring 51 and weight 39 is a flat bar or shutter 58 which is provided with the port or opening 60. An electric light 62 supplied from any convenient source, is positioned to show through opening 63 in housing 52 and on the opposite side of the housing are disposed light passageways 65 and 86 back of which are operatively disposed the light sensitive, photoelectric cells 4| and 42. Each of these lights is supplied with its own separate source of electric current as Hand 69. I Normally these units consist ofa current supply and ampli fying means so that the current passed by the photoelectric cells may be suitably amplified to operate their respective relays l0 and H. Relays 10 and H, which are energized by the current coming from the photoelectric cells 4! and 42, control the operating motor 44, through two additional relays 14 and 15, each connected toa solenoid so arranged as to operatethe .reversing switch 11 in a manner to operate the motor in either direction as they are selectively energized.

In order to provide for definite stopping and reversing of motor 44 at the limit of each move? ment of the boat, we have provided a control means for each of relays H1 and H. These control means are identical in their construction and consist of a lever pivoted at BI and normally urged to the left as viewed in Figure 2 by compression spring 83. When so disposed the switch bars of the relays are engaged by the springactuated dogs 84 which are normally urged outwardly by springs 85. Each lever 80 is provided with electrical releasing means which moves the free end of the lever to the right as viewed in Figure 2 and is accomplished by the solenoids at 81 and 88. Each solenoid core is bent over at ;its extreme end to form the hooked members and 9D, probably best illustrated in Figure 1.

Assuming that the point where my device is in stalled in a ship is falling, due to the wave action,

housing 52 is carried with the boat as it moves;

weight 39, however, not being fixedly secured to housing 52 but being yieldably supported by spring 51, tends to, momentarily at least, remain stationary. This falling action causes all of the remaining parts as housing 52 light 62, and photoelectric cell 42 to move downwardly so that openings G3, 60, and B5 are in alinement; this permits the energizing of the photoelectric cell 42 by light 82 and, through the amplifier 68, relay I0 is The speed of this travel should be balanced against the movement period of the particular ship in which this equipment is installed and, for normal wave action, the cage or room 46 will be arrested, before reaching the upper extent of its travel, by a reversal of this operation due to the ship itself commencing again to rise and, in this manner, the cage will be maintained on its original, horizontal plane, or very close thereto.

If, on the other hand extreme wave action is encountered and the cage rises to the uppermost extent of its travel, then the solenoid arm 89 will be contacted by the cam stop member 54 in a manner to pull the solenoid to the right, as viewed in Figures 1 and 2. This will break the circuit just described due to the removal of latch 84 from the connector or contact bar of solenoid l0 and as weight 39 has assumed its normal position, photoelectric cell 42 will no longer be energized so as to in turn energize the relay Ill. The reversal of this operation, which occurs when the boat tends to rise, will be accomplished in the same manner as just described, excepting, in that instance, the boat and frame 52 will tend to rise while weight 39,, observing Newtons law of motion, will tend to remain stationary. This will cause openings 63, 60, and 66, to come into alinement so that light 62 may energize the photoelectric cell 4| and thusthe same cycle as previously described will be accomplished so as to ultimately energize solenoid I5 and thus throw the reversal switch H to its right hand position which, in turn, will reverse motor 44 and cause the cage, or car, to be lowered in guide I ll so that again the car will closely approximate its original horizontal position; it is believed it will be apparent, therefore, that at all times, excepting in extreme conditions, our mechanism can be so adjusted that it will maintain thecar motionless while the ship moves vertically with respect thereto.

The second action of our equipment is that of maintaining guideways l0 in a substantially vertical position as the ends of 'the ship change their positions due to wave action.

We have illustrated a' simple form of gimbal joint l2 having a longitudinal pivot axis as 92 and a transverse pivot axis 94. The master ring of the gimbal is suitably supported as by' the legs from the ship structure itself.

It is desirable that the horizontal plane of the gimbal pivot be substantially at the metacenter C of the ship S which is located, in the majority of ships, approximately at the water line. Having thus mounted our guideway on a universal platform it is then necessary to hold it in position and at the same time to have the holding means so arranged that it can compensate for either rolling or pitching of the boat. This is acomplished by providing preferably, attached at the bottom of the guideway after the showing of the various views, a plurality of fluid operated pistons in cylinders l4. Preferably a non-compressible fluid such as oil, or water mixed with a small amount of oil, should be used so that very positive holding of the guideways can be assured. The means used to effect this control is illustrated best probably, in Figures 7, 8, and 9. Here each of the cylinders I4 is, preferably, universally mounted on the ships structure as at 96 and, at its opposite end, piston rod 91 of each of the cylinders is, preferably, again universally mounted at 98 at the point of its attachment to the guideway In. This is a desirable arrangement in that the movement of the bottom of the cage must be truly universal. The suction tubing Hi0 and the return tubing I02 must be either of a flexible character or provided with flexible joints where it attaches to the various cylinders.

We then provide that each of the mercury tube switches as 21, 28, 29, and 30, be mounted on the guideways at a slight inclination radially from the center, or vertical axis of the guideways, so that when the guideways are in a truly vertical position the mercury'will run to the low end of the tubes and there will be no electrical circuit completed; then let it be assumed that with the guideways in the vertical position the boat either rolls after the showing of Figure 4, or pitches, as is shown in Figure 5, then the guideways as a unit with their support will tend to move with the ship and will start to move in the same sense as the ship. If it is assumed, for instance, that the bow of the ship is lowered as going into a trough of the sea, then the forward edge of the bottom of our guideway will be depressed. In the diagram of Figure 9 we have illustrated the bow of the boat to be at the bottom of the page and the stern of the boat at the top of the page. Then, as the tilting of the guideway occurs switches 21 and 28 will be energized by virtue of the mercury rolling to complete the circuit through the electrodes. This action will complete a circuit energizing motors 32 connected to pumps 22 and 23 and at the same timewill energize the solenoid and switching arrangement at 34 and 35, closing Valves l8; it Will then follow that as the pump forces fluid into the rearwardly disposed cylinders M the bottom of the guide way structure will be forced forwardly in the boat, after the showing in Figure 5, taking the first three views from the left. At the same time it is necessary that the liquid already present in the two forwardly disposed cylinders M be dis placed; this is accomplished by the pressure exerted on the pistons through piston rods 91 and the'fluid is forced out through valves 18 due to the fact that the solenoid switching arrangements 36 and 3! are not energized and the springs that normally tend to hold these valves closed are forced open to assure free but controllable flow of the fluid back through the discharge pipe I02 into the storage tank 20.

As the boat continues and passes through the bottom of the swell and starts climbing up to the next crest, a reversal of this operation takes place. First, the switching means, for the motors operating pumps 22 and 23, arebroken and next, switches 29 and 30- are operated which in turn energize the motors driving pumps 24 and 25. Inasmuch as the solenoid controlled valve mechanism 36 and 3'! are on the same circuit as the motors, they are operated to close their valve I8 and the forward pistons can then operate, in the same manner as just described for the rear pistons, to force the bottom of guideways It toward the rear of the ship as is illustrated on the right hand portion of Figure 5.

Combining the two actions, namely, the vertical movement of cage 45 together with the means for maintaining the guideways ID in substantially a vertical position, will normally provide that cage 56 will be maintained substantially at a given point in space and the ship will roll or pitch without affecting this position. This can be arranged for within the limits of the space available in the ship. It will follow that on large ships it would be possible to install such an arrangement so that, due to the space available the room, or cage, 46 could in effect remain stationary with the ship moving with respect thereto. As the size of the ship is reduced it may be necessary to merely compensate in part for the movement of the ship. This in itself would be a great help and in the majority of cases would be a satisfactory solution to seasickness encountered.

The foregoing description and the accompanying drawings are believed to clearly disclose a preferred embodiment of our invention but it will be understood that this disclosure is merely illustrative and that such changes in the invention may be made as are fairly within the scope and spirit of the following claims:

1. In a stabilizing appliance for sea-going ships, the combination with a base frame, an upright guide-frame, diametrically arranged pairs of fluid-pressure operated motors for stabilizingsaid guide frame and means responsive to certain movements of a ship for controlling said motors, and a gimbal joint between said base-frame and guide-frame, of a vertically reciprocable carriage forming a compartment and suspended from the top of and within the guide frame, means for reciprocating the carriage, and means responsive to other movements of the ship for controlling said reciprocating means.

2. In a stabilized appliance including a selfleveling vertically reciprocable carriagecompartment for use on a ship, the combination with a base-frame rigid with the ship, an upright guide frame for the carriage-compartment, a gimbal I leveling vertically reciprocable carriage for use 75 on a ship, the combination with a" base frame rigid with the ship, an upright guide frame for the carriage, and a gimbal joint located at the metacenter of the ship and uniting said frames, of diametrically arranged fluid pressure operated motors located below the gimbal joint and adapted to stabilize the guide frame on its horizontal axes, each of said motors having a loose joint mounted on the ship and a loose joint mounted on the guide-frame, and means responsive to certain movements of the ship for controlling said motors.

4. In, a stabilized appliance for use on a ship, the combination with a guide frame pivotally mounted at the metacenter of the ship, of diametrically arranged fluid-pressure operated motors located on the ship below the pivotal mount and adapted to stabilize the guide frame, a fluid pressure system connecting said motors, control valves between said motors and said system, and electro-magnetically operated means for operating said control valves, said electro-magnetic means being responsive to certain movements of the ship.

5. Ina stabilized appliance for use on a ship, the combination, including a base frame, an upright guide frame, and a gimbal joint between said frames mounted at the metacenter of the ship, of a carriage suspended for vertical movement in the frame, a motor-operated hoist on the frame for the carriage and an electric circuit for the motor, two electro-magnetic control devices for the motor in said circuit, and means responsive to certain movements of the ship for separately energizing said control devices for said motor.

6. In a stabilized appliance for use on a ship, the combination, including a base frame, an upright guide-frame, and a gimbal-joint between said frames mounted at the metacenter of the ship, of a carriage suspended in the frame and a hoist therefor, an electric motor for operating the hoist and a circuit for said motor, two electromagnetic control devices for said motor in the circuit, stops mounted near the opposite ends of the guide frame for co-action with said control devices, and means responsive to certain movements of the ship for operating the control devices.

7. In a stabilized appliance for use on a ship, the combination, including an upright guideframe pivotally mounted at the metacenter of the ship, of a carriage suspended in the frame and a hoist therefor, an electric motor for operating the hoist and a circuit for the motor, two electro-magnetic control devices for the motor and control circuits for these devices, photoelectric cells controlling the control circuits, and an element for joint use with said cells responsive to certain movements of the ship for separately energizing said photo-electric cells.

MCCORMICK MEHAN. JOHN I. MARKEY, 

